Monthly Archives: December 2014

Its been an emotional roller coaster this season. Sadly our nephew who lived with us (old enough to chose where he wants to live) decided in the heat of the moment, I’m Satan and he’s better off with his mom.Yes Virginia, this house has rules.
So, we were minus a child during the holiday and are still in the “what’s going on?” stage with his family who have, short of two quick phone calls, been mum on what the plans are for the future living arrangements.
Then the evening of the above revelation that I’m Satan, a storm of all storms rolled in and the kitchen flooded.
We survived the drama and still had a peaceful though melancholy Christmas.
Now as we roll towards the New Year I’ve decided I’m not doing a damn thing the same as last year. Last year rather sucked, not catastrophic or anything, but if something doesn’t work… change it!
No black eyed peas and greens here (never liked them anyway) nope– we’re kicking this year off with cheeseburgers and a baked potato bar.
Also, it’s time for some serious house cleaning. As in I have too much “Stuff.” I gotta let go of something. I can’t keep everything that holds memories. There simply isn’t room anymore.
On a side note, to help ring in the New Year, from the 31st to the 2ndAn American Holiday (ebook) will be FREE! So help me spread the word so that those with their new E-Readers have a FREE book to upload.
For those that don’t have ereaders, you do know that the Kindle App is FREE for your phone/computer. Yep. And even on the phone app, the font is page size. Yep. It’s not itty bitty print. Nope, full size.
Well- Hope everyone had an amazing holiday/Christmas and will have a wonderful and prosperous New Year!Bobbi Romans

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Jacko pays a boy 2 shillings a day to deliver messages. The fellow, Elwood, gets 5 shillings for delivering a message to Jacko and then demands a tip from Jacko, insisting Davy hadn’t given him a farthing (which is 1/4th of a penny).

So was Elwood right to complain, only making 14 shilling plus tips in a 7 day work week?

Let’s see: A common laborer, working 60 hours a week made about 3 shillings and 6 pennies a week.
Well no wonder Jacko gets angry with the boy for a) lying about Davy giving him 5 shillings and b) having the audacity to claim he was being cheated.

Thus, when a small fellow with a great deal of charm shows up on his office door, Jacko has no qualms firing Elwood and giving the new boy a job.

Jacko opened the door and ushered the boy in. He would gladly give the boy a fortune for the return of Xavier, but he had little hope finding his friend would be so easy.

Jacko admired his pluck. “That’s not the way it works. You tell me what you know and then I decide if it warrants the money.”

The boy’s brow furrowed. “And what if you decide it don’t?”

“Then I’ll pay you what I think it’s worth.”

The boy jammed his hands in his pockets as he stared at his feet muttering beneath his breath.

“What’s your name?”

His head tilted up and his eyes narrowed. “What’s it worth to you?”

The kid reminded him of himself as a scrappy boy. “It could be worth a regular job.”

The boy’s eyes widened as he yanked his hand from his pocket and extended it to Jacko.

“People call me L’il Pete. So do I get the job?”

Jacko shook his tiny hand. “I’ll give you a try.” He walked to his desk, grabbed pen and paper, and wrote his boarding room address. He handed the slip to the boy. “I’ll pay you two shillings a day to sit in a chair in front of this room and bring me messages from people who stop by. Any tip they give you is yours to keep.”

L’il Pete’s eyes narrowed. “That’s it? Just sit in a chair?”

“You can even sleep if you like.”

The boy shook his head as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. “I wasn’t born yesterday. What’s the git?”

“The ‘git’ is you must keep to your schedule and never lie to me.”

The boy’s head tilted in confusion. “That’s all?”

“Sounds simple, but I’ve yet to find a boy who has the character to do it.”

The small fellow jutted out his chest and snared his thumbs through his belt loops. “I got tons of character. Everybody says so.”

Damn, but he liked this boy. “Which is why you are getting the job. And when you go back there today, if a boy named Elwood shows up, tell him he’s fired.”

“Elwood…” The boy’s face scrunched up as he rubbed his chin with grimy fingers. “How big is he?”

“Good point.” Jacko wrote on another slip of paper, ‘Elwood, you are fired—Jacko.’ He gave it to the boy. “Just give him this.”

Liza O’Connor was raised badly by feral cats, left the South/Midwest and wandered off to find nicer people on the east coast. There she worked for the meanest man on Wall Street, while her psychotic husband tried to kill her three times. (So much for finding nicer people.) Then one day she declared enough, got a better job, divorced her husband, and fell in love with her new life where people behaved normally. But all those bad behaviors has given her lots of fodder for her humorous romances. Please buy these books, because otherwise, she’ll become grumpy and write troubled novels instead. They will likely traumatize you.

You have been warned.Mostly humorous books by Liza:

Saving Casey – Old woman reincarnates into troubled teen’s body. (Half funny/half traumatizing)Ghost Lover—Two British brothers fall in love with the same young woman. Ancestral ghost is called in to fix the situation. And there’s a ghost cat that roams about the book as well. (Humorous Contemporary Romance)A Long Road to Love Series: (Humorous Contemporary odd Romance)Worst Week Ever — Laugh out loud week of disasters of Epic proportions.Oh Stupid Heart — The heart wants what it wants, even if it’s impossible.Coming to Reason — There is a breaking point when even a saint comes to reason.Climbing out of Hell — The reconstruction of a terrible man into a great one.The Troublesome Apprentice — The greatest sleuth in Victorian England hires a young man who turns out to be a young woman.The Missing Partner — Opps! The greatest sleuth in Victorian England goes missing, leaving Vic to rescue him, a suffragette, and about 100 servants. Not to mention an eviscerating cat. Yes, let’s not mention the cat.The Mesmerist — The Mesmerist can control people from afar and make them murder for her. Worse yet, Xavier Thorn has fallen under her spell.

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Thank you again for having me Bobbi. I will be awarding two lucky people who comment, each a paperback of their choice. The choices are, Murder Most Foul, Wicked Intentions, Twisted Love, The Crime of the Century, Flagitious, Loves, Myths, and Monsters, or Poems About Life, Love, and Everything in Between. Its your choice.

Writing Mystery

Before writing a word, take some time to jot down key story points. As you’re writing, the story will want to take on a life of its own. Having a handy reference of key points will help keep your story on track and you from pulling your hair out. A list of key points is also helpful when outlining the story plot. You may very well find that the story begins to unfold as you’re writing down the key points. If this happens…let it! Write down any ideas or details that come to you, they’ll come in handy later.
Some key points to consider are; what is the mystery? This is the underlying theme to the entire story so be as in-depth as possible (has there been a murder or a theft or a kidnapping? If so, how and where was it committed?).
Hunt for the culprit. Every good story has at least one antagonist, but what steps must the hero or heroine take to find him/her? How will the villain evade the hero? How is the mystery solved? In mystery writing there are a lot of twists and turns. Write down your initial thoughts for plot twists, red herrings to throw the readers off the trail of the true villain, and of course the final stages of how the good guy will prevail…or does he? You need to decide whether or not the hero or the villain wins in the end. Many hero’s die trying to solve their case. Many are involved in physical altercations with other characters. You must decide how many altercations, the number of characters involved, and what weapons if any are used. It is not a good idea to only engage your characters with fist fighting. Throw in some knives, chains, falling from windows, or my favorite, a poisoning, and other nasty assaults.
Every great story has well rounded characters. We read fiction because we want to be entertained and develop a connection with the characters. Outlining items such as personality traits, physical features, and quirks can help bring your characters to life; a speech impediment, or limp, or a nervous twitch.
For the Protagonist, decide the name, age, where does he/she live, does he/she have a family or pets, what is their driving goal for taking on this particular case? Is the hero a police officer, a person sworn to honesty, pride, and valor. Or is the good guy a private detective being paid to find a certain someone. Or your main character could be a parent or sibling searching for a missing loved one.
For the Antagonist, decide the name, age, where does he/she live, is there an underlying reason for being the antagonist? Perhaps this person is a career criminal. On the other hand, maybe he/she is a good person that suffered an unjust and turned to crime out of bitterness and despair.
Then you have your support characters, who are the color of the story. They provide depth to the story whether good or bad. A support character could be as simple as a loud mouth hot dog vendor standing on a street corner or as in-depth as the villain’s partner in crime. In writing a mystery story, support characters can take on a life of their own with the reader, so make them interesting. Just because they are labeled support characters does not mean they are any less important than the main characters.
Next is the location of the story. When and where is the story set? These two key elements are what bring your story to life. Mystery story writing is a broad genre and could be set in any time period and in any place. When working with actual locations it is a good idea to do research on the location first. Readers want to feel as though they are there with the characters, so being able to accurately describe a location is vital. Time periods are no exception. If the story is set in 1940’s New Orleans, the reader will want to see their surroundings, not just be told the story is taking place in a speakeasy or church. Be descriptive!
A mystery story is not a story without a solid well thought out plot. Some things to consider when developing the story plot: What is the driving force of the mystery? To solve a murder, or rescue a kidnap victim? What does the villain do to thwart the hero? Does the villain get his goons on the hero? Is the hero being set up by the villain and now he is being hunted by police. What other obstacles get in the way of solving the mystery?
One of the most important elements of writing a mystery story is suspense. Giving away too much too soon will bore the reader. It is best if the suspense is sprinkled throughout the story; bring the mystery to light within the first few chapters, then as the story progresses add a clue here and there without revealing the outcome until the final chapter. Do not be afraid to add a “red herring” or false clue, within the stories context. Readers love nothing better than to think they have everything figured out only to find in the end they were mistaken the entire time.
The final few chapters of the story should hold the climax of the conflict and resolution between the hero and villain, including how all of the clues scattered throughout the story cumulatively solves the mystery. A good conclusion gives the reader a sense of closure in finding out how the hero solved the mystery. Remember that not all mysteries have to be completely solved or have a “happy” ending. If you are writing a series of stories, the villain may get away at the end of story #1 with the hero using clues from story #1 to track down the villain in story #2. In mystery story writing, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Blurbs for “Flagitious” a four crime/mystery anthology

“Too Solve His Mother’s Murder”

After his Air Force career was interrupted by his mother’s untimely murder, Steven Moore, returned home. Met with a cold reception of lies, secrets, and threats, he is determined too find Wanda’s killer, even at the cost of his own life. Was Wanda a victim of the legendary Hatchet Man? Was this loving and devoted mother killed because of her shady past, or for her inheritance? Between finding the truth and falling in love, Steven stops at nothing, too solve his mother’s murder.

“The Other Couple’s Child”

Charlotte had it all. A loving and devoted husband. Supportive family and friends, and a house full of beautiful children. Everything was perfect for this Super Mom, until a medical procedure turns her life upside down, and spirals into a child abduction case. Time is running out. Will police arrive in time to save Charlotte and the other couple’s child?

“3381 Market Street”

Katherine Sims, a young widow working for a brokerage firm in a small southeastern town, is tired of the excuses concerning Charlie’s absence. She knows something terrible must have happened to her favorite nephew with the sad blue-eyes. After exposing the killer, Katherine’s life is turned upside down and she finds herself fighting for her life. Filled with maniacal suspects, a Satanic Cult, and danger around each corner, this story depicts one woman’s courage too avenge a child’s murder, while finding unexpected love.

“The Tarot Card Murders”

New Detective, and ex-navel man, twenty-six-year-old Nick Difozzio, returns to his small county determined too abolish crime. Not until death knocked on his door, did he know the face of evil. Will the decorated veteran destroy the Lycanthropes, or will he succumb to their murderess desires and become one of them? He took an oath too protect, honor, and uphold the law, but can he defy the lust, riches, and power offered, or are the ‘dark forces’ stronger than his will?

Excerpt from “To Solve His Mother’s Murder”

Already en route to her place, Steven saw the first smoke, and knew Vivien was in trouble. Using his cell phone, he dialed 911 for the fire department and gunned his engine. Screaming into the stable’s driveway, he arrived just as the arsonist sped away on a dirt bike, but heard the sounds of screaming horses. Vivien and the horses took priority. Running to the nearby water trough, he dove in headfirst then raced inside the smoke-filled structure to meet Vivien limping toward him.
“Steven save the animals,” she begged, and passed out.
Once he had Vivien safely outside, he re-entered the building and, hooding them, ran out the horses. Inside one of the stalls, he found Willy, dead, killed by the arsonist. Then the wails of fire trucks, came over the hills.
Steven patted Vivien’s soiled and bruised face with cool water until she slowly opened her eyes, and whispered. “Hi.”
“Hi, to you, too, darling.” He tenderly kissed her forehead. “You really scared me.”
“Are the horses safe?” she asked.
“As safe as you are now,” he said, while the firemen worked on the fire.
Paramedics patched up Vivien before placing her on a stretcher and transporting her to the local hospital. “I’ll be there shortly, I promise,” he answered with a goodbye kiss.
Once she was on her way, Steven turned to the Fire Chief. “We know it’s arson, but Vivien didn’t recognize the intruder’s voice.”
“Who do you think set the blaze?” the Fire Chief asked. “We don’t have random arsons. You must suspect someone?”
“I’ll have you a list by the morning,” he replied, boarding his truck and hauling ass for the hospital.
On the way, he drove past a hole-in-the-wall beer joint. Parked outside was a bike exactly matching the pyromaniac’s ride. Making a quick U-turn on the gravel road, loud enough to be heard in the next county, he pulled into the parking lot, driving right over the bike. After jumping from the truck and admiring his handiwork, he gleefully said, “Yep. Flat as a pancake.”
When Steven entered the dark musty bar, he gained the attention of all seven patrons at once by shouting, “I’m looking for the son-of-a-bitch driving that piece-of-shit bike sitting outside.”
He met sullen silence. Slouching slowly across the sawdust covering the rickety floor, he eyed, in turn, each of the five men at length wondering. Was the creep who almost killed the woman I love, that toothless old grandpa slurping beer from a mug? Or was it the scrawny thirty-year-old with the dirty work boots?
Gradually, his eyes adjusted to the small room. He scanned the interior. Typical. Walls decorated with cheap, outdated neon beer signs and sleazy posters of big-breasted women perched suggestively on an assortment of bikes. To this assembly, Steven repeated, “I said, who owns that bike I just ran over?”
“I do,” yelled twenty-eight-year-old Heath Hopstetter. Coming out of his chair like a ground-to-air missile, he swung his beer bottle at Steven’s head.
Ducking, Steven returned the favor with a round-house punch to Heath’s big, soft and prominent stomach, knocking the wind out of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Slowly, Heath sank to the filthy floor.
“Now, mister, we don’t want no trouble in here.” The worn-looking and plumb middle-aged barmaid said and held up her hands.
“This guy ain’t gonna be no trouble at all.” Steven jerked Heath to his feet and thumped him again. This time, his blow sent Heath into the antique jukebox, shattering glass. Nearby patrons grabbed their drinks and ducked.

Author Bio:
JoAnne has been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of her life. Besides having seven novels under her belt, JoAnne canvas paints. When not busy with hobbies or working outside the home, JoAnne spends time with relatives, her dog Jasmine, and volunteers her time within the community.
JoAnne is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, Savvy Authors, Coffee Time Romance, Paranormal Romance Guild, True Romance Studios, National Writers Association, the Hocking Hill’s Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center.
JoAnne believes in family values and following your dreams. Her original canvas paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Other books by JoAnne:

“WICKED INTENTIONS” a paranormal/mystery anthology
“LOVES’, MYTHS’ AND MONSTERS’,” a fantasy anthology
“THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY,” a biography true-crime
“POEMS ABOUT LIFE, LOVE, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN”
“TWISTED LOVE,” a true-crime anthology
“MURDER MOST FOUL,” a detective/mystery

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I was supposed to have posted a piece for a blog hop. I missed it trying to make a deadline. I’ve others posts that will be going up soon so instead of posting about my releases, I’m going to share a special Christmas Memory and my new favorite Christmas Carol.

My family has always done Christmas big. Not necessarily gifts, but being a small family the Aunt, Uncle and Cousin (who was like a sister) would come up from Florida (we were in VA) for the holiday making it extra special.
We’d sled, Grandma would bake and somehow she and Grandpa would make the entire house smell like fresh cut pine.
We had a small fake tree. We even, at times, had the silver one with the color wheel behind it. (where did the pine smell from?-LOL)

Well on my 12th Christmas, the Florida family came up, we had all these wonderful events and like we did every year, we’d watched Rudolph the Reindeer and Frosty. It was Christmas Eve, magic surrounded us. We’d played with my grandfathers childhood train my Uncle dug out of the eves and set up for Granddaddy. The train he hadn’t seen in years and years.
I’d fallen asleep too early upstairs in my room.

You see, I lived with my Grandparents. They were my everything. Though I loved Mom and Dad with all my heart, there was a special bond between my Grandparents and I.
About 7:30 my Uncle gently shook me awake and quietly told me to come downstairs with the rest of the family.
You see, on Christmas Eve, surrounded by his family and even his favorite childhood toy running around the Christmas tree, my Granddaddy had passed away. He’d laid down too, for a small pre-Christmas Eve dinner and simply did not wake up again.

To a twelve year old, I couldn’t fathom why God would do this. Why take my granddaddy on Christmas Eve? Why then? Didn’t he know how horrible this would be? I’d tried to hold myself together for my grandmother, but when a tacky turquoise colored hearse pulled up, I lost it.

It was turquoise! It should have classic black.

That was what pushed me over the edge. My Granddaddy deserved classic, not tacky. I can’t explain why this meant so much but it did. I ran out the door and heard my Mom and Uncle try and call me back, and caught my Grandmother telling them to let me go. She knew where I was heading.

I ran around the corner to one of my best friends homes. By the time I got there they knew what had happened. My friend took me into her room where I bawled.

When at last I slowed enough to ask why now, she answered without missing a beat…

Because he WAS special. The hearse means nothing… your Granddaddy was invited to the most special Birthdays of all.

Her words slowly sank in. A warmth of joy spread and I knew she’d spoken the truth.

My Granddaddy deserved this special invitation because he was in fact special.

My friends words made sense of something which hadn’t.

So as you enter this Christmas Season remember the reason. Remember we aren’t promised tomorrows and don’t get caught up in the rush.

Remember to stop and smell the poinsettias and hot coco. Give extra hugs and attention.

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**Before we get to the fun interview–Special Note from Guy: All three novels in my series will be on sale for $.99 from December 7, 2014 (8 AM PST) until December 14, 2014 (Noon PST)**

Talking with Guy Ogan, the author of the Immortal Relations series. Here is what he had to say.What inspired you to write your first book, “Immortal Relations? After my parents died, I found a photo taken of my father at the end of World War Two. He’d been assigned to help the Czechs form a government, hopefully one based on a Constitution and Bill of Rights somewhat similar to the U.S. (a lofty goal considering Soviet troops were everywhere in Eastern Europe at that time). The photograph was of my father standing in front of an ancient building with a large clock on its wall. It was what was on the back of the photo that shocked me…in a very feminine hand was “I will always be waiting here for you.” When I was very young I’d heard my mother say things like, “He is over there with that woman” but didn’t know of whom she spoke, nor would she say anything further when asked. However, at one point she did ask me what I’d do if she divorced my father. So finding that statement on the back of his picture, taken in Prague, brought back memories of what she’d said. That night, unable to sleep, I felt compelled to go to the keyboard and that is the “back-story” of where “Immortal Relations” came from (call it “channeling,” or that my Muse was guiding me, or as a psychotic-break and I’d agree). I’ve always been a fast typist, but I’d never typed THAT fast before or since. Have you been a lifelong reader? Not just a lifelong reader but a writer as well. In my youth I ran marathons and wrote about them and they were published in running magazines like “The Long-Distance Log.” Later, I also was “into” automobiles and wrote about events attended (races and car-shows), these were published in such magazines as “Cruisin’ Style” in Florida. While I wrote mostly non-fiction, I enjoyed reading both that and fiction, specifically histories of warfare (World War Two and what caused it) as well as fictional works such as the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (I’ve always been a fan of stories where good triumphs over evil). Now, I’m an avid (or is that rabid) fan of the vampire genre’, but not the “Horror” type stories (although I’ve read Bram Stoker’s Dracula and appreciate it for what it is). In my books, vampires are like humans, both good and evil. My good vampires try to safeguard humans and animals from evil be it other vampires, human criminals or evil politicians. I’m honored to have done some Beta reading for Michele Drier’s eighth novel in the Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, “SNAP: All That Jazz.” I love trying to help other authors, even if they’re better known than I am. I totally love Michele’s stories of good and passionate vampires “living” in the human world. While her stories are different than mine, I love that her good vamps co-exist with humans.

This is a brief summary of the first book, “Immortal Relations” “Immortal Relations” contains “explicit togetherness.” This intimacy isn’t meant to be salacious but to show the good vampires don’t have human hang-ups about sex (and some of what Gary gets drawn into is rather humorous). Gary’s military past is of great help in protecting the coven from evil vampires seeking revenge, especially when Gary’s son Adam, born as a full vampire, gains his father’s knowledge and helps the Czechs as well as the British Army and Royal Marines deal with “terrorists” seeking to gain access to nuclear weapons. Later, he helps the Russian Federation’s defend old Soviet Era stores of Biological Weapons from some new members of the same vampire gang. For more Fun here’s an interview between the author and the main male character Gary Logan: Gary Logan is here to tell us a little about why he became a vampire. Most vampires are “changed” against their will, Gary on the other hand fell in love with a lady who happened to be a vampire (she had been attacked and only two policemen happening on the scene kept her from being drained rather than changed). Gary is one of only two characters in my series who ask to be changed to stay with someone they love, but there are others who are changed to save them from death due to disease or injury. Guy: Gary, tell us about some of the special power you have developed. Humans would count the speed, strength and vampire immortality as special powers, but our group of vampires has developed even further. With the help of Sophie (my vampire son’s human wife) we’ve developed the ability to reach out to one another and experience the physical joy of each other during intimacy and communicate mentally at great distances. Guy: Gary, when did you discover your powers? Most of the vampire powers were taught to me very soon after being changed. You can read about that in the early parts of Immortal Relations. Only a few people realize that the entire series of books started out as notes in diaries that I kept as a record of my entry into the vampire world. Read about this in http://amzn.com/B00A4IEHL6, the second book. Vlad Dracula’s discussion is in book three, http://amzn.com/B00G5BQS18 where he talks of his history as well as the power of “flying”. I’d started practicing a little over thick parts of our Canadian forests when it was raining, very cloudy or at night. Of course, now that we have “come-out-of-the-coffin*” (actually we were “outed” by the Marxist government in Washington, D.C. – how they hate us!) I now fly in daylight getting “thumbs-up” when seen by our wonderful neighbors in the Cayuga area! Guy: Gary did you have special education or training to hone your power? Yes, while initially my lovely ladies taught me the vampire skills I would need, later, Sophie (my son Adam’s human wife) helped train us in the method of enjoying being in each other’s mind during intimacy and we carried that ability further to communicating with one another and reading the minds of humans in http://amzn.com/B006ZCBT6G the first book. Reading minds has come in handy for our vampire children when they went to university or in the military. Later, mind reading was taught to Fred, the shape-shifting werewolf who is in love with Glenda, my half-human, half-vampire granddaughter. Both are now enrolled in Prague’s University. They “tested-out” of more mundane classes so will attain their undergraduate as well as graduate degrees in less than three years. They’re currently taking joint MBA and Law degrees (read of them in http://amzn.com/B00G5BQS18 book three). Guy: Do you consider your power a gift or a curse? Why? We have used all of these powers to not only enjoy each other physically, as well as to communicate, but to help safeguard mankind. From that perspective the powers must be considered as great gifts. We have stopped a potential nuclear war between Communist China and The Russian Federation, cleaned up the messes caused by terrorists, helping bring them to justice and kept two potentially Extinction Level Events on Earth from happening as well as threats from outer-space that could have destroyed the Earth. Guy: How does having this power complicate your life? It sometimes seems we’re cursed with the frequency we’re called upon to save mankind, often from their own stupidity, such as from the types of leaders whom they have given control over themselves…the stupidity of voters is often amazing! Guy: Gary, If you could swap your power for another one, what would it be? We actually have taught humans the ability to share each other’s physical joy during intimacy. Now if we could just teach them to do diligent research into the types of people they place in leadership positions, I’d consider that would be worth trading for my “flying”! Guy: What do your lovers think of your abilities? My two “owners” who both changed me so we could be together forever (they stress we are co-equals in our loving partnership) think our abilities are great! For those who prefer less explicitness in novels, book two has a summary of the major points of book one with far less intimacy. Book two is helpful when reading book three but each book will stand alone.